Apparatus for coating sheet metal



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. T. LEWIS.

APPARATUS FOR OOATING- SHEET METAL. N0. 431,663.

Patented July 8, 1890.

S E S S E N H W (No Model.) A 3 sheets sheet 2.

A 1).. T. LEWIS.

APPARATUS FOR COATING SHEET METAL. No. 431,663. Patented July 8, 1890.

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WITNESSES.

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(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3. D. T. LEWIS. APPARATUS FOR COATING SHEET METAL.

Patented July 8, 1890,.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE,

DAVID T. LEIVIS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR COATING SHEET METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 431,663, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed May 1, 1889. Serial No. 309,159. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID T. LEWIS, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Coating Sheet Metal, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a view of a modified form of gearing. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section on the line V V of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a like view on the line VI VI of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the regulating-rolls.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts wherever they occur.

In coating sheet metal with spelter and other metals in the production of what is known as galvanized, calamined, or tinned metal it is customary to pass the sheet of metal, after it has been treated to an "acid bath, through a tank containing the coating metal in a molten state, which is commonly called the bath, and thence through rolls, which compress the coating metal on the sheet. Ordinarily this operation requires the services of four men. I

The object of my invention is to dispense with unnecessary labor by rendering the ap: paratus automatic, so that the service of but one boy is required, who merely feeds the sheet to the feed-rolls of the apparatus, from which it is delivered to the sorting-table; also, to enable the grade or thickness of the coating of metal to be regulated at will.

I will now describe my invent-ion, so that others skilled in the art may manufacture and use the same.

In the drawings, 2 represents the feed-table at which the feed-boy stands and delivers the sheet of, metal to the feed-rolls 3. These feedrolls are driven by a belt leading to a bandwheel on the main shaft 4.

In front of the feed-rolls 3 is aspelter-tank 5, below which is a heating furnace or flue 6. Situate within the spelter-tank 5 are curved guide-bars 8 9, which curve toward the coating-rolls 10, which are situate below the surface of the molten metal in the tank. These coating-rolls are driven by a gear -Wheel 11 which is keyed to the main shaft and gears, with a gear-wheel 12,-keyed to the axis of the upper coatingroll. The upper roll is also journaled in a movable housing 13, which may be regulated by a set-screw 14 so as to adjust the rolls with each other in the usual manner. After passing through the coatingrolls the sheet passes between curved guidebars 15 16, and is delivered between the regulating rolls 17, which are driven by a gearwheel 18 keyed to one of the rolls and gearing with the toothed wheel 11 on the main shaft.

Situate directly above the regulating-rolls 17 is a double-V-shaped box 19, arranged so that the lower edges of the outer box shall be in contact with the peripheries of the rolls v and leave a space 20 between the two boxes.

The purpose of this box is to collect the dross which deposits on the rolls from the sheet, which dross is scraped off the rolls by the outer box and passes into the space between the two boxes The apex of the inner box serves also as a guide to the sheet and de livers it vertically from the regulating-rolls to the vertical bent guides 21. In front of the guides 21 is a drum 22, which may be formed of wood, and is driven by a bandwheel and a belt passing from theband-wheel to a band-wheel on the main shaft 4. This driving apparatus, however, may be omitted, as the drum, being made of wo0d,is capable of being driven by the sheet as it is delivered from the regulating-rolls. In front of the drum 22 is a traveling table 23, composed of endless chains passing over wheel 2% and connecting-bars 25, which are situate between and secured to the two chains. This table delivers the sheet of metal after it comes from the bath to the assorting-table.

In order to regulate the thickness of the coating of metal adhering to the sheet as it leaves the bath of molten metal, I journal is customary to place a covering of suitable material on top of the bath of molten spelter, so as to prevent oxidation. This covering material, however, in the usual process adheres to the coating on the plate as it is removed from the bath. It will be noticed that the box 19 is set at, or the lower portion thereof a little below, the surface of the bath, so that when the sheet enters the box it passes therefrom without coming in contact with this coating, and there is therefore no liability of the coating adhering to the plate. By this means the labor of brushing off and cleaning the sheet, which involves the Work of two men, is obviated.

' Another material advantage of my improvement is that the box in collecting the dross prevents the accumulation thereof on the surface of the regulating-rolls, whereby the dross is kept from being deposited on the sheet, and the rolls being kept clean the surface of each sheet is rendered smooth and Y even.

Instead of the power mechanism which I have described, by means of which the coating-rolls and the regulating or smoothing rolls are driven, I show a modified form of power mechanism in Fig.4, in which a miterwheel 28 is keyed to the main shaft and con- 'nects with miter-wheels 29 and 30, one of themiter-wheels 30 being keyed to the inclined shaft 31, at the ends of which. are wormwheels 32 and 33, the worm-wheel 32 engaging with the gear-wheel b on the'coatingn'olls l0 and the worm-wheel 33 engaging with the gear-wheel c on the regulating-rolls 17. The purpose of this modification is to prevent the disturbance or throwing out of the molten metal in the bath, which to a certain extent is incident to the revolving gear-wheel 11, a portion of the periphery of which is necessarily below the surface of the metal.

ism which I employ all the rolls are driven at the same rate of speed, including the wooden delivery-drum. This delivery-drum,

together. with the curved guide, saves "the services of one man, as when the sheet of metal comes from the regulating-rolls by its own weight it falls over the drum,- and is carried by the endless table to the assorting table, as already described.

One of the advantages of my improvement is that the sheets of metal are fed to the apparatus lengthwise, which enables me to employ a much smaller tank, and consequently a smaller quantity of molten metal in the tank.

I claim 1. In apparatus for coating sheet metal, the combination of a pair of feed-rolls, a pair of coating-rolls, a pair of regulating-rolls, guide-rods situate between the pairs of rolls, guide-rods 21,'and a delivery-drum, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In apparatus for coating sheet metal, the combination of a pair of regulating-rolls, and a dross-case composed of an inner and outer box, having a space between the two boxes, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In apparatus for coating sheet metal, the combination of a pair of regulating-rolls, one of which rolls is journaled in movable housings, a lever, and an adjustable weight, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th dayof April, A. D. 1889.

DAVID' T. LENVIS.

Witnesses:

W. B. OORWIN, J NO. K. SMITH. 

